Shedding motion for circular looms



s. ToY'oDA SHEDDING MOTION FOR CIRCULAR LOOKS Filed Jan. 10. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

lllLl A TT ORNE Y SHEDDING MOTION FOR CIRCULAR LOOMS med Jan. 1o.. 1928 :s sheets-sheet 2 Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,314

s. ToYoDA SHEDDING MOTION FOR CIRCULAR LOOMS Filed Jan. 10. 1928 s sheets-sheet 3 nl A TTORNEY Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

SAIKICHI TOYODA, OF NAGOYA, JAPAN.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHEDDING MOTION FOR CIRCULAR LOOMS.'

Application led January 10, 1928. Serial No. 245,642.

This invention relates to improvements in a loom for weaving tubular fabricsand' particularly to an improved shedding mechanism for such loom, and its objectis to provide such device capable of always maintaining the warps in the .uniformly spaced state..

and of performing the desired weaving operation properly.

According to the invention, the heddle frame consists of a plurality of arc-shaped rods connected ,continuously to form a complete annular ring, each of said arc-shaped rodsbeing telcscopically connected tor the sheaths which are rockably mounted to the operating rods, and a cam is provided for controlling the outward and inward movement of the said operating rods.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a constructional example of the invention by way of example, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the cicrular loom fitted with the mechanismaccording to this invention,

Figure 2 is a plan thereof partly broken away,

Figure 3 is a sectional fragmentary elevation of the mechanism of this invention,

Figure 4 is a plan thereof,I Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental plan view of a heddle frame, Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of same.

In the circular loom shown in Figure 1, the

reference numeral 1 designates the base or bed, on which is supportedan upright shaft 2. On the upper part of said upright shaft 2 is provided a ball 3, on which is swingably mounted a slay sole 5 having a circular reed 4. Secured to the upright shaft 2 41s an arm 6 carrying a lifting roller 7 which, engaging with the under side of the slay sole 5, imparts a gyratory movement to the latter during the rotation of the upright shaft` 2. The tube of warps A is operated by the shedding mechanism for forming a shed successively, and

the shed formed in the warps along the circular reed 4, in such a manner that the shedding motion is always produced at the point where the shuttle B is at the moment.- The general construction of the above-mentioned type of the circular loom is well known, whilst this invention relates particularly to an 1mproved sheddin mechanism for such type of the'circular oom.

According to the invention each upper and lower heddle frame consists of a plurality the shuttle B is automatically moved through of arc-'shaped rods connected to each other to form outer and inner' rings, respectivel As shown in the drawings, the outer andy inner arc-shaped rods 8 are at their ends telescopically inserted into theouter and inner rocking sheaths 9, respectively. The latter in turn are at their ends pivoted to the operating rod 10 at 11.` In the above manner, .the arcshapedrods are continuously connected to each other to form the outer and inner rings of the annular heddle frame. Two sets of such annular 4frames -are used, one being superposed above the other. The movements of said frames are controlled by suitable 'cam 12 secured to the upright shaft 2. For this purpose, the operating rods 10-of one of the said superposed heddle frames, for instance, of the lower frame, are operatively connected to the cam 12 at their inner ends. The cam 12 is provided with a cam groove 13 which involves outer and inner circular paths connected to and crossing each other at a point,

as shown in Figure 4. Each operating rod 10 is at its inner end provided with a stud 14 carrying a roller 15,which engages with said l cam groove 13, so that durin the rotation` of the cam 12 the operating ro s 10 are successively moved outwardly and inwardly. During said movements of the operating rods 10, the sheaths 9 are rocked^and the arc-shaped rods 8 are successively moved outwardly and inwardy, the latter being moved at the same time telescopically relative to the sheaths 9.

-To the outer and inner arc-shaped rods 8 and the sheaths 9 are secured both ends of the heddles. At each connecting part of the heddle frame, spiral springs 16 are wound around the arc-shaped rods 8 and the sheaths 9, the said spiral spring embracing one heddle at every turn thereof, thus always enablmg to hold the heddles in the uniformly spaced relation by said spiral springs, the latter being adapted to be lengthened and shortened according to the telescopic movements of the connecting parts' of the heddle frame. I

The operating rods 10 ofA both upper and lower heddle frames are slidabl `mounted in the bearing brackets 17. In eac of the bearing brackets 17, two guide rollers 18 are mounted between said upper and lower operating rods 10.' An endless belt 19 is wound around said guide rollers 18, and it is connected on one side to the lower operating rod 10 and on the other side to the upper operating rod 10, as shown in Figure 3, 1n such a manpushed outwardly the upper operating rod` 10 is pulled inwardly, thus producing the required shedding movements.

In the 'hereinbeforedescribed shedding mechanism, a means is also provided to always guide adequately .the roller 15 at the inner end of the operating rod 10 in the predetermined path at the crossing. For this purpose, according to the invention, an additional bottom groove 20 is cut in the groove 13, the bottom groove being narrower than the groove 13. Pivoted to the stud 14 beneath the roller liis a slide block 21, which is guided in said bottom groove 20. The length of said slide block'21 is made larger than the width of the bottom groove 20, so that the same may be always guided in the predetermined path at the crossing. lVith heretofore known construction of this type of circular loom, the heddle frame being separated to several parts, there is a disadvantage that the warps can not be uniformly spaced at the divided parts o'f the heddle frame. In the present invention, however, the `frame elements are continuously connected to form a `complete annular' frame, so that such disadvantage as above described is removed by the invention. Whilst the heddle frame is made into a completely connected annular shape, yet there is not any hindrance in performing proper shedding movements in the mechanism according to ,the present invention, since eacharc-shaped rod of the heddle frame is telescopically connected at its both ends to the sheaths which are rockably mounted to thefbperating rods.

What I claim is 1. In a circula-r loom ofthe type having a circular reed adapted to partake 'of a gyratory movement, the shuttle carrying the wett being adapted to pass through the successivelyproduced sheds along the said circular reed, an improved shedding mechanism comprising upper and lower heddle frames, each comprising a plurality of arc-shaped rods connected continuously to i'orm a complete ring', shaths telescopically connected with said arc-shaped rods, operating rods pivotally connected with said sheaths, and a cam i'or controlling the outward and inward movements of said operating rods.

2. A` shedding mechanism for a circular loom as specified in claim l, including spiral springs at each connecting part of said hed dle frames wound around said arc-shaped rods andsaidv sheaths, so that each heddle is held by a turn of said spiral springs.

3. Ashedding mechanism for a circular loom as specified in claim 1, including an endless belt 19 and guide rollers therefor, said belt being arranged between the upper and lower heddle frame, and being connected at its one side to the upper operating rod and at the other side to the lower operating rod, and the loweroperating rod is operatively con nected to said cam. l

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

SAKICHI TOYODA. 

